NEWS

Pursuant to the decision of Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski, on 1 April the Polish Embassy to the Republic of Iceland began operating in Reykjavik.

This will contribute to strengthening the voice and role of Poles, who represent the biggest national minority in Iceland today.

The establishment of an embassy in Reykjavik should boost political contacts between Poland and Iceland, and help forge closer economic, cultural and scientific ties. The new foreign service post will be especially important to the country’s Polish diaspora, totalling over 10,000 people. Poles, who account for over a half of all registered aliens, represent the biggest national minority among all foreign nationals residing in Iceland. One of the key tasks facing the new embassy is to enhance the role and standing of our citizens in Icelandic society and among the local opinion-makers.

The creation of the Polish embassy in Iceland is part of a programme aimed at streamlining the network of Poland’s foreign service posts, which has been implemented by Minister Radosław Sikorski and involves adjusting the structure of Polish diplomatic and consular posts to the changing environment. In the course of the last six years, Poland has opened the following diplomatic and consular posts: embassies in Podgorica and Astana; consulates general in Manchester, Reykjavik, Sevastopol, Vinnytsia and Donetsk; consular agencies in Smolensk and Erbil; a Permanent Representation to UNESCO; and Polish Institutes in Brussels, Madrid, Tokyo and New Delhi.